Apparatus for erecting cartons

ABSTRACT

AN APPARTUS FOR ERECTING TRAY-LIKE CARTONS HAVING A MARGINAL FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF IN WHICH THE BLANKS ARE FIRST SUBJECT TO A PERFORMING STAGE, THEN TO AN ERECTING STAGE AND FINALLY A STAGE FOR PRESSING THE FLANGE OUTWARDS TO THE DESIRED POSITION.

Nov. 9, 1971 R. G. A. ODENHAGEN 3,518,431

APPARATUS FOR ERECTING CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2. 1970 Nov. 9., 1971 R. G. A. OD'ENHAGEN 3,518,481

APPARATUS FOR ERECTING CARTONS Filed Feb. 2, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet a hmizimi Nov. 9, 1971 ODENHAGEN I 3,618,481

APPARATUS FOR ERECIING CARTONS Filed Feb. 2. 1970 4 Sheets-SheatI 1971 R. e. A. ODENHAGEN 3,618,

APPARATUS FOR mam-me cmrous Filed Feb. 2. 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent US. C]. 93-51 R 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for erecting tray-like cartons having a marginal flange extending outwardly from the upper edge thereof in which the blanks are first subject to a preforming stage, then to an erecting stage and finally a stage for pressing the flange outwards to the desired position.

The present invention relates to apparatus for erecting a carton from a blank comprising a base portion, a number of side wall portions extending from said base portion, corner or joint portions connecting said side wall portions and a preferably horizontal marginal flange extending from the top edge of said wall portions, at which the blank by a plunger is forced through ashaft.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a preferably vertically operating plunger and a shaft. The device is characterized by a pre-forming ring disposed at the upper portion of the shaft, a carton erecting ring positioned below said pre-forming ring, and a press seat positioned below the carton erecting ring and adapted to press the marginal flange outwards into a desired position, said plunger being divided into two portions so that the lower portion of the plunger may be stopped in a lower position at the same time as the press portion of the plunger per-v of the method according to the invention and partly a.

device for realization of the method according to the invention. Said carton is subject of US. Patent 3,565,324.

FIG. 1 shows the blank of a corner of the carton in plane condition.

1 FIG. 2 shows the same corner of the carton in erected condition at which a doubled fin which is typical of this carton is placed on the inside of the carton. I

7, FIG. .3 shows the same corner having an externally positioned doubled fin.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the device according to the invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the device.

The carton corner shown in FIG. 1 is formed by a base portion 1, two side wall portions 2 and 3, and three triangular corner portions 4, 5 and 6 of which the portions 4 and 5 preferably have generally the same size. Each of 3,618,481 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 the side wall portions 2 and 3 and the corner portions 4, 5 and 6 at the very end terminates with a flange portion 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, respectively. As appears from FIGS. 2 and 3 the corner may be folded in different ways. In either case the corner portions 4 and 5 are folded so as to form a doubled fin which in FIG. 2 is concealed on the inside of the carton whereas the fin in FIG. 3' is secured to the outside of the side wall portion 3. Such doubled fins are already known from quite a number of carton constructions. The present carton, however, is different from the prior art in that the doubled fin is not entirely drawn in from the corner but is extended so as to somewhat protrude beyond the side wall portion 2.

The device shown in FIGS. 4-6 fundamentally is usable both to the folding operation according to FIG. 2 and to the folding operation according to FIG. 3. In the condition according to the drawing, however, the device is adapted to erect the very embodiment according to FIG. 3.

As best appears from FIG. 4, the device shown by way of an example comprises a plunger 12 and a shaft or receptacle 13 with which the plunger 12 cooperates. The shaft 13 is mounted on a frame 14, which carries posts 15, on which the plunger is mounted by means of bearings 16 and 17. The bearings 16 and the plunger 12 are mounted on a plate 18. The plunger 12 is divided into two portions, viz. a lower portion 19 and an upper portion 20. Said portions are connected by means of a central pin 21, which by means of a bearing 22 is adapted to slide in the upper portion 20. Normally the portions 19 and 20 are kept apart by a spring 23. In addition to the pin 21 the reciprocal movement of both portions is controlled by a guide pin 24 which slides in a bearing 25 in the upper portion.

The shaft comprises an upper guide ring 26 adapted to guide the blank into proper position when the blank is fed into position above the shaft. Next to the guide element 26 there is a pre-forming ring 27 which in the embodiment shown in the drawing consists only of two opposite bars 27 which are clamped immediately above the mouth of the shaft. The bars 27 are provided with notches 28 (FIG. 6) adapted to guide the corner portions of the blank into the desired position at the same time as the bars 27 start the erection of two opposite side wall portions of the carton. Below the pre-forming element 27 the regular carton erecting ring 29 is positioned which constitutes the upper part of the shaft 13. Below the ring 29 a number of pullers 30 are positioned which pull off the erected carton from the plunger by engaging the top side of the out-turned marginal flange during the ascending movement of the plunger. In order to permit the upper portion 20 of the plunger to pass by the pullers 30 the upper portion is provided with recesses 31.

The bottom of the shaft 13 consists of a plate 32 which is depressable against the atcion of a spring and adapted not to stop the lower portion of the plunger until the formed blank has reached a position just opposite a press seat 33. The spring action is provided by means of a spring 34 mounted within a telescopic cylinder 35. Owing to the spring 34 the bottom plate 32 may operate as an ejector which pushes up the erected carton into a position immediately above the seat 33. Just opposite this position the shaft 13 is provided with a lateral opening through which the erected carton can be moved out of the tool, preferably by means of an air nozzle 36 supplied with compressed air from a compressed air tube 37. These details are mounted at the rear of the bottom plate 32 shown in FIG. 4.

The posts 15 also carry a stationary plate 38, which supports a compressed air cylinder 39 or a corresponding source of power. The piston rod of the compressed air cylinder by means of an extension pin 40 is connected with the plate 18 supporting the plunger. Leaf springs 52 are clamped between the portions 19 and 20 of the plunger 12. The leaf springs operate with a rolling movement in order to force the marginal flange 711 outwards. This ensures the formation of a completely smooth marginal flange. FIG. 4 also shows a number of screws or similar securing means which need not be more closely described.

FIG. shows the tool according to FIG. 4 mounted in a machine. The blanks are fed by means of a feeding chain 41 and are sliding on rails 42. Just in front of a heating element 43 the blanks are momentarily stopped preferably by transmitting them at said point from a first feeding chain (not shown) onto the feeding chain 41. The heating element 43 is provided with a slot 44 into which the blank extends. Just opposite those points of the blank where heating is desired there are exhaust openings which communicate with a hot-air unit 45 adapted to be laterally moved on guide bars 46 together with the heating elements 43. The guide bars 46 also carry a plate 47 which supports a control unit 48 which by means of guide shoes 49 keeps the blank in a plane condition in the position just opposite the slots 44. This ensures heating of the proper points of the blank. The guide bars 46 by means of posts 50 are supported by the frame of the machine.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective view and at an enlarged scale a detail of the tool. This figure shows, for instance, the upper portion 20 of the plunger, the lower portion 19, the resilient bottom plate 32, the pre-forming bar 27 with the notches 28 and the outfeed opening 51 for the finished cartons.

The invention of course is not limited solely to the embodiment as above described but can be varied within the scope of the following claims. For instance, the invention of course also is applicable to other cartons than those shown in FIGS. 1-3. Moreover, the particular details of the device of course can be modified in various ways within the frame of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for erecting tray-like cartons from blanks caching having a base portion, at least three adjoining side walls, corner panels adioining adjacent side walls, and a marginal flange extending outwardly from the top edge of said side walls comprising a plunger element having upper and lower portions, said portions being vertically displaceable with respect to each other, a shaft for receiving said plunger element vertically therein, a preforming element disposed about the upper portion of the shaft for preforming the corner panels and side walls along predetermined lines to guide the panels and walls into a first loose folded configuration, a carton erecting element disposed below said preforming element for erecting the preformed panels and walls into a tray-like carton having the final folded configuration, flange pressing means at the bottom of and about the shaft for pressing, in cooperation with said plunger element, the marginal flange outwardly into a substantially horizontal position, means for positioning a carton blank between said plunger element and said shaft, means for moving the plunger element downwardly to cooperate with said preforming element and said erecting element so as to preform and erect the carton and means for moving the upper portion of said plunger element downwardly with respect to the lower portion thereof when the lower portion has reached its lower position in said shaft, whereby the upper portion of said plunger element and said flange pressing means cooperate to press the marginal flange outwardly into a substantially horizontal position.

2. Apparatus for erecting tray-like cartons from blanks each having a base portion, at least three adjoining side walls, corner panels adioining adjacent side walls, and a marginal flange extending outwardly from the top edge of said side walls comprising a plunger element having upper and lower portions, said portions being vertically displaceable with respect to each other, resilient means for normally keeping the upper and lower portions of said plunger element vertically separated, a shaft for receiving said plunger element vertically therein, a preforming element composed of two bars on opposite sides of and at the top of said shaft, said bars being provided with notches for performing the corner panels into the desired position while preforming the side walls into their desired position so as to guide the panels and walls into a first loose folded configuration, a carton erecting element disposed below said preforming element for erecting the preformed panels and walls into a tray-like carton having the final folded configuration, flange pressing means at the bottom of and about the shaft for pressing, in cooperation with said plunger element, the marginal flange outwardly into a substantially horizontal position, means for positioning a carton blank between said plunger element and said shaft, means for moving said plunger element downwardly to cooperate with said preforming element and said erecting element so as to preform and erect the carton and means for moving the upper portion of said plunger element downwardly with respect to the lower portion thereof against the action of said resilient means when the lower portion has reached its lower position in said shaft whereby the upper portion of said plunger element and said flange pressing means cooperate to press the marginal flange outwardly into a substantially horizontal position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and further comprising a resiliently depressible plate at the bottom of and centrally of said shaft whereby the lower portion of said plunger element is stopped at a point where the marginal flange of an erected carton has reached said flange pressing means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said resilient means requires greater force to bring the upper and lower portions of said plunger element together than is required to depress said resiliently depressible plate at the bottom of and centrally of said shaft.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the carton blanks are provided with a heat scalable covering and further comprises means for heating said blanks before said blanks are positioned between said plunger element and said shaft whereby said shaft and said plunger element may remain at a relatively lower temperature.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising means for separating said plunger element from said shaft after a carton has been formed and means for ejecting the completed carton from the erection apparatus.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising guide means above said preforming element to correctly position a carton blank between said plunger element and said shaft.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and further comprising means disposed beneath said carton erecting element for engaging the marginal flange after being pressed by said flange pressing means to pull the carton from said plunger element when said plunger element is separated from said shaft.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the upper portion of said plunger element is provided with marginal recesses for accommodating said means for engaging the marginal flange.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means disposed between the upper and lower portions of said plunger element operable when said portions are moved toward each other to extend the marginal flanges in an outward direction.

11, Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Farquhar 93-51 R Benzow-Petersen 935 1.1

Moore 9351 M Sloan 9360 X Punte 93-1 D Edkvist 93-51 Conti 9351 M Guyer 9351 M Kondolf 93-59 MT Sehl 93-51 Ullman 9351 Goodwin 9360' X WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

